The time has come for humanity to journey to Mars. We’re ready. Though Mars is distant, we are far better prepared today to send humans to Mars than we were to travel to the Moon at the beginning of the space age. Given the will, we could have our first teams on Mars within a decade. The reasons for going to Mars are powerful.We must go for the knowledge of Mars. Our robotic probes have revealed that Mars was once a warm and wet planet, suitable for hosting life’s origin. But did it? A search for fossils (化石) on the Martian surface or microbes (微生物) in groundwater below could provide the answer. If found, they would show that the origin of life is not unique to the Earth, and, by implication, reveal a universe that is filled with life and probably intelligence as well. From the view point of learning our true place in the universe, this would be the most important scientific enlightenment since Copernicus.Earth’s atmosphere and environment in significant ways. It has become a critical matter for us to better understand all aspects of our environment. In this project, comparative planetology is a very powerful tool, a fact already shown by the role that Venusian (金星的) atmospheric studies played in our discovery of the potential threat of global warming by greenhouse gases. Mars, the planet most like the Earth, will have even more to teach us about our home world. The knowledge we gain could be key to our survival.We must go for the future. Mars is not just a scientific curiosity; it is a world with a surface area equal to all the continents of the Earth combined, possessing all the elements that are needed to support not only life, but technological society. It is a New World, filled with history waiting to be made by a new and youthful branch of human civilization that is waiting to be born. We must go to Mars to make that potential a reality. We must go, not for us, but for a people who are yet to be. We must do it for the Martians.1. Why has the time come for humanity to travel to Mars according to the passage?A) Because people are willing to sacrifice their own life to travel to Mars.B) Because people are far better ready today to send people to Mars than before. C) Because most people are financially better off than they were.D) Because the first team on Mars has already been organized.2. What is the purpose of the search for fossils on the Martian surface or microbes in groundwater?A) To ascertain whether life can exist on the planet Mars. B) To test whether the robotic probes can really function on the Mars.C) To explore the origin of the universe.D) To reveal how intelligent the people are on the earth.3. The author believes that the most important scientific enlightenment of the universe would be ___________.A) the discovery of fossils on the Martian surfaceB) the discovery of ground water on MarsC) the discovery of life on Mars D) the discovery of our place in the universe4. Why must we go for knowledge of Earth?A) Because it could help us learn more about the Earth for our survival. B) Because it could help us use the knowledge of Earth to explore other planets.C) Because it could help us compare the Earth with other planets.D) Because it could help us find out the potential threat from other planets.5. What can be inferred from the sentence “Mars is not just a scientific curiosity.”?A) Mars could be utilized to support our life and technological society. B) Mars is a world full of history of adventures.C) Mars is suitable for all the people to explore.D) Mars can make people more civilized.